Rotary Youth Exchange November report from Spain - Scarlett

Posted by Anais G. Watsky

on Dec 22, 2013

Since last month, I had been in contact with Joliann, another exchange student that is from the french-speaking part of Canada, trying to establish a plan for her to come and visit me for a weekend. I asked my tutor what had to be made in order translate the plan into actions, and he said we had to detail what we were going to do during her stay. According to that, I asked my friends at school about what we could do while she would be here. But the arrival date we had talked about was not until next weekend, so I believed we had time. Meanwhile, we were planning all of my friends were signing up to all of the activities we were going to realize. After a day or two I had it all clear, so I sent it to my tutor.

However, his reply was that he had found out that what we needed was a letter from my host parents inviting Joliann to stay for a weekend. When I learned this information I started writing the letter for my host parents, because I learned about their family customs is that if you want something you should do it. And I have seen them telling Ana, my host sister, to make stuff for herself, that I would normally ask my mom for help. My host dad told me it was just so afterwards in life she would know what to do and how to do it. Although, if while doing it by herself she feels unable they will intervine but otherwise they would not. And I feel it makes a lot of sense and I respect their ways. Eventually, a day I had to arrive to school late because I had to go ask for my student card that would work as an I.D. for me here, very useful because instead of carrying around my passport running the risk of losing it I could use this card, they made me write the note that I would present my teacher at school in order to let me into class late and they signed it at the bottom approving what was said in the note.

Therefore, when I finished writing the invitation letter from their part I sent it to my host mom and she changed a few things and then send it. She told me it was a big help because she was very busy with work and did not increment her list of things to do.

After the invitation was sent, my tutor replied and said that now we needed approval from both parties her host family, her tutor, and mine. A few days later, we finally received complete acceptance from all the people required and everything was settled. Although, when I got to school to tell them the great news the plans I had written in had completely changed. So, I did not have an specific view of the weekend when Joliann came to visit, which was right around the corner.

In the end, she came and everything worked out fine. All of my friends were able to meet her and we all had fun.

Another group accompanied us to a museum in “La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias” a touristic point.

And then we also spent time with my host family, she actually came for my “yayas’”, grandmas’ birthday and we celebrated it twice. Once with my host family alone. Later on, with my host uncles’ family as well.

Moreover, closer to the end of the month we saw each other again because Rotary hosted a Youth Seminar in my city, so she other exchange students around the area came. And we repeated the tour.

Continuously, I returned to “La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias” because my host mom was offered very cheap tickets to attend to a luto concert in german. Even though, I did not understand anything at all I thought it was very instructive. I learned a lot about etiquette in classy concerts, and my host family’s musical preferences.

Another cultural visit I realized this month was to the theater. It all started with my literature class, the teacher wanted to go see a play with us, it was not related to the class she just thought it would be fun and informative, and that if we decided to go it would help us to relate future information we would learn on the class. In addition, she said we could invite other people, that it did not have to be exclusive for the class. Almost everyone in 2o de Bachillerato, my grade, ended up going, but it was very good. We all had positive comments about everything, the play itself, all of us in the theater, everything.

Regarding Rotaract, we are already pulling forward some projects. One is called “Cupcake Solidario”, were we sell cupcakes, cakes, cake-pops, cookies, and other sweets for a lady who is considered a senior citizen but is currently living off of donations because they fired her from her job due to certain incapabilities of hers. Such as the fact that it is very hard for her to move constantly, and other issues, that do not make her qualified for any job. In addition, the government can not give her the pensions she deserves by law because of her age. Technically, she cannot receive them yet until a few months when it is her birthday. After her situation becomes stable we will continue this project with other people who are in the same position of struggle, allowing them to prosper with their own abilities, because in this case, the lady is the one who bakes all the products we are selling, because that is what she used to do. She used to make cupcakes for a vegetarian restaurant.

Another, project we are molding is a Christmas one, just the typical gathering of toys and giving it to institutions with low recourses like orphanages, or some public schools.

I really like forming part of this group because we do not only make good deeds and help people but we become united and therefore make the people we help feel that way as well. For this reason, I look forward for mondays’, because those are the days our meetings are held.